Apparatus for transmitting sound from a baseball field



5F: @D kb KUUFF OA hmmm@- July 17, 1962 J. s. SELLERS 3,045,064

APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING SOUND FROM A BASEBALL FIELD Filed June 1. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. James S. Se lle rs Rttorneys APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTINO SOUND FROM A BASEBALL FIELD Filed June 1, 1959 J. S. SELLERS July 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 5 w w 9 Z Z a W 4 9 Mijn/wlw 5 5 3 n MWJLH... Fl 3 uw 5 n n 4 a ,4 m www4 a o/o w O. l

INVENTOR. James S. Sellers ,fw-mw l tovneys United States Patent O 3,045,064 APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING SOUND FROM A BASEBALL FIELD James S. Sellers, P.O. Box 502, Birmingham 3, Ala.;

Margaret H. Sellers, administratrix of said James S.

Sellers, deceased Filed June 1, 1959, Ser. No. 817,326 1 Claim. (Cl. 179-1) This invention relates to apparatus yfor transmitting sound from a baseball field and more particularly to such apparatus positioned beneath a base on a baseball field. This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 635,906, now abandoned filed January 23, 1957.

It is highly desirable for the spectators at a baseball game to hear what is transpiring on the playing field, such as arguments at the bases between opposing players, and discussions between the 4umpires and players. By transmitting the sounds from the playing field to the grandstand, the spectators feel that they are taking part in the game. Also, it enables the spectators to judge a play better as they can hear the baseball strike the glove or mitt of a player.

It is an object of my invention to provide apparatus for transmitting sound from a baseball field which is positioned beneath a base on a baseball field and does not interfere in any manner with the playing of the game.

It is `a further object of my invention to provide apparatus for transmitting sound from a baseball field in which a resilient pad or support for the base is formed of a greater surface area than the base and has perforation-s or apertures in the area adjacent the base whereby sound may be transmitted through the perforations to a microphone therebeneath.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a rigid support for the resilient pad to which the pad and the base may be secured to retain them in position, and with the rigid support having openings to permit the passage of sound therethrough to a microphone positioned therebeneath. l

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic view of a baseball playing field and an adjacent grandstand;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of home plate showing a resilient pad having apertures therethrough mounted on a rigid support;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of one of the bases showing a bag or base mounted on a resilient support which in turn is mounted on a rigid support;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 and showing the bag secured to the rigid support; and,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the base mounted over a compartment positioned beneath the surface of the playing field which compartment has a microphone therein.

Referring now in detail to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in FIG. 1 a baseball playing eld indicated generally by the numeral and having a home plate `11 and first, second, and third bases 12. The grandstand is indicated generally by the numeral 13 and has a control booth 14 therein for a public address system which embodies a loud speaker. My apparatus for transmitting sound is positioned beneath home plate 1.1 and each of the other bases =12 and may be controlled by suitable control means from control booth 14. The sounds on the playing field can thus be transmitted through the control booth to the public address system so that spectators in the 4grandstand may hear what is taking place on the playin-g field.

3,045,064 Patented July 17, 1962 Referring now to FIG. 3, I show a base that may be used .at each of the bases 12 which comprises a bag 16 having straps 17 extending therethrough. A resilient pad 18 is provided beneath bag 16 and is formed of rubber or a similar material so that the players will not be hurt when sliding into bag 16. The edges of pad 18 are beveled to allow the players to slide thereover easily without interfering with spikes on the players shoes.

Pad -18 is of a surface area larger than bag 16 and has perforations or openings 19 extending therethrough so that sound in the vicinity of bag 16 may pass through openings 19. Openings 19 are preferably circular in shape and preferably of a diameter %2 inch. It is contemplated that openings between %2 and 11/32 inch may be used zstaisfactorily. A rigid support or grill 21 is positioned beneath pad 18 and comprises liat metal Strips 22 (see FIG. 4) with bars 23 extending between the strips 22. Strap openings 24 are provided in pad 18 beneath bag 16 so that the openings are not exposed and players will -not be entangled in openings 24. Openings 25 are provided in grill 21 to receive straps 17 from bag 16 so that the bag and resilient pad 18 may be secured to grill 21. Buckles 26 on straps 17 allow the straps to be connected to each other beneath grill 21. A compact unit consisting of bag 16, base 18 and grill 21 is thus obtained.

Referring now to FIG. 5, I show the compartment for a microphone beneath the surface of the playing field and supporting a base thereon. The compartment is generally square and made of concrete or other suitable materials. The compartment consists of a floor comprising a concrete slab 28 and walls 29 formed of concrete blocks. The upper blocks of walls 29 are recessed at 31 so that grill 21 may be positioned therein with the upper surface of the grill being substantially llush with the upper surface of walls 29. To avoid space resonances, the interior of the compartment is lined with a sponge rubber layer 32 which improves the acoustical qualities of my transmitting apparatus. Grill 21 is shock mounted within recess l31 by a rubber liner 30 positioned between grill 21 and blocks 29.

A microphone is indicated generally by the numeral 33 and comprises a base portion 34 with a threaded standard 36 having the lower end thereof secured to base portion 34 and the upper end thereof secured to a microphone head 37. The microphone `head 37 has an annulaiflange 38 secured thereto and a dust deflector 39 is mounted on flange 38 4by rod members 41 that are spot welded at one end to deliector 39 and at the other end to flange 38. A cover of resilient material 42 surrounds dust deector 39 and may be of rubber or other suitable material to maintain the acoustical qualities of the sound transmitting apparatus.

An electrical lead 43 is connected to microphone 33 and extends around a hook 44 which keeps the lead raised from floor 28 of the compartment as water collects therein at times. Lead 43 extends through the concrete block wall to the control booth 14 where microphone 33 is controlled. Suitable bushings are positioned on each side of line 43 where it extends through the concrete wall so that there will be no appreciable reverberations of sound.

The upper surface of resilient pad 18 is substantially flush with the upper surface of the playing field indicated at 10. The concrete blocks 29 are completely covered by the turf or playing field surface and the only exposed part of my apparatus is the upper surface of the resilient pad 18 and bag 16.

In FIG. 2, I show home plate 1'1 which does not have a bag thereon. Home plate 11 is of a different shape from the other bases since it is pentagonal in shape and comprises a resilient pad 47 having apertures or per- -forations 48 therethrough. The resilient pad is mounted on a rigid frame or grill therebeneath and indicated in dotted lines at 49. The compartment and grill for home base is similar to that shown in FIG. 5 except that the shape is pentagonal as required by the rules of the game.

From the foregoing, it is understood that I have provided apparatus for transmitting sound from a baseball eld in which a resilient pad has apertures or perforations therethrough `and is mounted on a rigid frame over a compartment in which a microphone is positioned. The sound is transmitted to a control booth Where it is transmitted through a public address system to the spectators of the baseball game. At the bases, the resilient pad is formed of a greater surface area than the base and has perforations in the area adjacent the base so that sound is transmitted through the perforations to a microphone therebeneath. The bag of the base is secured to the resilient pad and the grill therebeneath by strap members which extend through all three members and are connected to each other under the grill.

While I have shown my invention in more than one from, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so llimited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In combination, a ybase adapted to be positioned on a baseball playing field, a resilient support in contact with the underside of said base on which the base is resiliently supported, said resilient support being of a greater surface area than the surface arca of the base and having perforations therethrough, a rigid support beneath the resilient support and having openings therein in communication with the perforations in said resilient support, said rigid support being of substantially the same surface area as the surface area of said resilient support, straps on said base extending through openings in said resilient support and secured to said rigid support whereby the base, resilient support and rigid support are secured together, and means adjacent the underside of said rigid support to transmit sound passing through the perforations in said resilient support and openings in said rigid support.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,768,207 Lumkin et al. June 24, 1930 2,210,477 Benecke et al. Aug. 6, 1940 2,702,318 Dvorsky Feb. 15, 1955 

